A major solar eclipse is coming on April 8. As you may have already heard something about, if you want to see the eclipse but don't live in an area where you can properly see it, NASA and Twitch have you covered. Not just a live stream of the eclipse: they've partnered with Epic Games, Microsoft, and the National Esports Association for an event featuring streamers playing eclipse-themed games in Minecraft and Fortnite called Look Up!"

"Look Up! a Minecraft game mode called "Look Up!" will include an "educational component" in which players solve puzzles and answer eclipse-themed questions as they try to escape the moon and reach Earth before the eclipse occurs. In Fortnite, players will "explore different areas that can be accessed by moving through different locations in the eclipse's totality path." Streams of gameplay will be shown "in a lively co-stream" along with live footage of the eclipse provided by NASA.

Viewing the eclipse via stream may not be the ideal way to watch such an unusual event. However, as NASA explains, the total eclipse will be visible only over a relatively narrow band that traverses the North American continent, with partial eclipses outside of that band. For those on the West Coast, there may be a bit of shade, but those in Europe and Asia will not see anything, as it will be dark anyway.

I happen to live along the path of the total eclipse, so I'll be out there for the event (something I should probably tell my boss about eventually), but even for those who don't, this is a very cool offer.

One thing to note for those planning to watch the event in person: looking up during the eclipse is something you should never do unless you have eclipse glasses or a sun viewer. There are indirect viewing options, such as pinhole projectors. Also, you should never look at the sun through a camera, binoculars, or telescope. NASA has detailed instructions on how to safely view the eclipse.

Lookup! will be streamed live on NEA's Twitch channel on April 8 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.